Established in 1984, Pakistan International School-Qatar (PIS-Q) offers a congenial academic environment. The institution prides itself in producing a treasure of innovators, professionals, critical thinkers, artists, poets, writers, debaters, future leaders and much more.
Housed in a sprawling campus in Mesaimeer area, PIS-Q is the largest Pakistani community school. Offering FBISE and Cambridge streams, the institution has recently upgraded its infrastructure and other related facilities and introduced a number of educational reforms to further up the quality of education. In an interview with Qatar Tribune, PIS-Q Principal Nargis Raza Otho spoke in detail about the recent changes. Excerpts:
PIS-Q has seen infrastructural developments recently. Would you like to share details with our readers?
I’ve always tried to bring about positive changes in the school, and have been continuously in touch with my team and members of the staff in this regard. Quite recently, under the patronage of the Embassy of Pakistan, we have renovated the school building. You will see that our classrooms, hall and corridors have been improved to a great extent. What’s more, we have recently laid the foundation stone for our upcoming state-of-the-art gymnasium at the school premises, the construction work is set to begin soon. Once completed, the gymnasium will house separate courts for basketball, tennis, badminton and volleyball among other indoor game plans. It will give our students, especially female students, a chance to practice their skills and be prepared well for national and international level games.
Besides infrastructure, have you introduced some educational reforms too?
The building isn’t the only thing that has been renovated, though. We have brought some educational reforms, too. Our learning regime is now more interactive: classroom lessons are now adjoined with study tours, so our students can get hands-on experience of their respective fields of study instead of just sitting inside the school studying from textbooks. The world is rapidly changing and we need to be abreast of the latest developments. No one can afford to be left behind! And everyone has seen the results of our reforms in the form of our latest results.
Your students have performed remarkably well in the Cambridge examinations, how do you see this?
Our two batches of IGCSE students have produced 100 percent results in their Cambridge examination. It was a tremendous success for us! I’m especially proud because as a new establishment, it is often difficult for schools to manage this level of success but with the grace of the Almighty, our school went ahead and did what we had been working for so long, and when we received our first Cambridge distinction. You can imagine how jubilant and proud I would be! It was a dream come true. The sapling we had planted back in 2019 had borne fruit and there was no one happier than me!
What steps has your institution taken to achieve this milestone?
Changes have to be brought at grass root level for any plan to succeed. We did not get these results overnight. It is a product of continuous planning, discussions and policy changes. And of course, the teaching faculty matters the most. That is why, we do not compromise on quality. Our school follows a standardised procedure of hiring teachers from renowned institutions in Pakistan, those who are experts in their subject. The initial success of our IGCSE students gave us the motivation to go beyond and this year, we are teaching our first batch of A Levels students. I’m confident the story of success will be the same for them as well.
Are you planning to apply these changes to your FBISE stream, too?
Obviously! Our success isn’t limited to our Cambridge Stream; Federal Board has changed their exam pattern recently so we are already bringing changes there, too. For instance, we have modified our school exam papers as per the new directives of FBISE, so we can prepare our students for their final examination. We have also started remedial classes after school hours so we can help struggling students in a more focused and individualistic manner. Some of our teachers have been registered for the upcoming marking workshops as well, so they can acquaint themselves with the changes implemented in the exam system. So, you see, the transformation isn’t linear; it is multi-dimensional and inclusive.
How important are co-curricular and extra-curricular activities for the students?
I understand that the fundamental requirement of a school is to produce good results in examination. But it, in no way, means we cannot focus on other activities which are necessary for our students’ growth and development. We have activity classes where students get to experience co-curricular skills like essay writing, science projects, debates and speeches, and much more. Every year, we arrange an inter-school literary competition and invite schools from across Doha to participate. It gives our students an environment of constructive competition and they showcase their skills in co-curricular domains as well. In a few days, the 8th chapter of the competition will be held and I feel overwhelmed to think how far we have come!
Is there any career counselling plan at PISQ for the students?
Of course. We want our students to stay in touch with the world outside and see for themselves how the academic world is progressing and what they need in order to reap the benefits. Career counselling is an integral part of our school policy and we organise such sessions throughout the academic year so that when it is time for our students to step outside, they are equipped with all the necessary skills and meet all the requirements. We have also arranged for our students to go to admission sessions of reputed universities like Weill Cornell and Georgetown. Plus, they have also attended the recently held Qatar Education Expo where they met university representatives from around the globe and gained first-hand knowledge of university placements, scholarships and admission criteria.
Would you like to share any message for your pupils?
I would like to show my gratitude to them for being hardworking, dedicated and committed individuals. It is they who have brought name to this institution. I urge them to never let go the purity of their hearts and the fire in their souls so they could reach the place one can only imagine. Stay true to your cause and goal of life; be strong, be brave, and never give in. The world is yours if you are honest to yourselves.
